It is crucial nowadays to predict in a fast and simple manner physical-chemical behaviors like, the size-dependent optical properties of gold nanospheres (Au NSs). The idea behind this experiment is trying to replace (as much as possible) robust and expensive microscopy techniques with UV-vis spectrophotometry and friendly simulations. Students…

The article describes a methodology for studying Fresnel diffraction with the active involvement of students in discussing the results of a demonstration experiment. To create a clearly visible model of Fresnel zones, a centimeter radio wave range was chosen, in which the first zone is about 10 cm in size. This makes visible the created…

A spinning top with a spherical bottom end was constructed to examine its behaviour. Experimental results were consistent with theoretical predictions.

A glass of water covered with a disk with a hole in it can be turned upside down without spilling the water in the glass, provided the hole is small enough and the disk is pressed against the rim of the glass. A quasistatic numerical simulation based on hydrostatic pressure and surface tension of water was used calculate the critical hole diameter…

Life would not be possible without plants. Plants supply food to many organisms (including people), produce oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide from the air, provide products for human use, and homes for many other living things. It is not surprising, therefore, that plant growth is a familiar topic in the primary school science curriculum. This paper…

This paper describes ten simple thermal imaging experiments designed primarily for upper secondary students, but usable with younger pupils as well. The author's primary motivation was to come up with a meaningful use for a thermal imaging camera even if the teacher only has a short time to work with it--in the extreme case, only one lesson in…

We commonly ask students to compare the results of their experimental measurements with the predictions of a simple physical model that is well understood. However, in practice, physicists must compare their experimental measurements with the predictions of several models, none of which may work well over the entire range of measurements. The…

In a recent article in this journal, Shakur described an interesting problem where a bullet of mass "m" strikes a block of wood of mass "M" and projects the block upward. The same problem was considered earlier by Cowley et al. and others. The main question of interest is whether the block rises to a greater height if it is…

This article describes an experiment that can be done in the classroom in a simple way, with the support of a "homemade" device or as a laboratory practice with the support of PASCO equipment. Through a theory-practice sequence, kinematic and dynamic equations were checked with qualitative and quantitative analysis, emphasizing the…

Due to the conditions imposed worldwide by the pandemic, students' access to school laboratories is limited, if not impossible. To provide students with raw experimental data to assess, analyse and reason out, we have filmed experiments that can be used in a flipped classroom. This paper presents an experiment which makes use of an array of six…

Much data, both published and anecdotal, have shown that students grasp scientific concepts more easily when they are directly involved in the learning via lab experiments or other hands-on activities. Hands-on or experiential learning also appears to aid in students' ability to retain scientific theory. One way to engage students in a first-year…

We have developed a laboratory exercise designed to help students translate between different field representations. It starts with students qualitatively mapping field lines for various bar magnet configurations and continues with a Hall probe experiment in which students execute a series of scaffolded tasks, culminating in the prediction and…

The principles of process-oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL) are applied to a binary solid-liquid mixtures experiment. Over the course of two learning cycles, students predict, measure, and model the phase diagram of a mixture of fatty acids. The enthalpy of fusion of each fatty acid is determined from the results. This guided inquiry…

This math activity focuses on experimental design while connecting math with life science. It is important that the science and engineering practices (SEPs) are not taught as a separate "unit" but integrated within the curriculum wherever possible. The focus is on experimental design to teach animal behavior. Students predict and test…

A discovery-based Grignard experiment that emphasizes several important concepts in organic chemistry is reported. The Grignard reagent from 1- bromo-4-chlorobenzene was prepared and reacted with dimethylformamide (DMF) to synthesize 4-chlorobenzaldehyde. Students were tasked with predicting halogen reactivity in the formation of the Grignard…